IWS Worship Webinars: Live Discussions with the Author
The purpose of IWS webinars is to provide ongoing education, worship resources, and inspiration for worship planners and leaders. Each session included a presentation by the author of a recently published book followed by a discussion based on questions asked by the attendees.
A series of four interactive webinars took place in Spring 2021–
Sat, Apr 17: Rory Noland on The Heart of the Artist, 2nd ed.
Sat, May 1: Glenn Packiam on Blessed Broken Given
Sat, May 22: Jeff Barker and Thomas Boogaart on Performing the Plays of the Bible
Sat, June 5: Constance Cherry on Worship Like Jesus
The Heart of the Artist (Second Edition)
with Rory Noland
Rory Noland is a graduate of the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies (M.W.S. 2015, D.W.S. 2018). He is the director of Heart of the Artist Ministries, a published songwriter, and author of four books. Rory leads retreats for artists, speaks at workshops and conferences, mentors worship leaders, and consults with churches on worship and the arts.
First published 22 years ago, the second edition of Rory’s very popular book, The Heart of the Artist, has received a re-write with “a great deal of new content.” Now, this new edition speaks in a fresh way to Christian artists in today’s culture—in and outside the church. Rory deals head-on with issues every person in an arts ministry faces, including servanthood versus stardom, excellence versus perfectionism, handling criticism, jealousy and envy, and more.
“We need to be as serious about developing godly character as we are about honing our talents.”
Cultivating a Sacramental Imagination:
Reflections on Being Blessed, Broken and Given
with Glenn Packiam
Glenn Packiam is Associate Senior Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the lead pastor of New Life Downtown, one of the seven congregations of New Life Church. The author of six books, Glenn earned a Doctorate in Theology and Ministry from Durham University in the UK.
The webinar was based on Glenn’s book, Blessed Broken Given: How Your 
Story Becomes Sacred in the Hands of Jesus. While bread may be one of the most common items on our dinner tables, Jesus chose to take it at the Last Supper and invest deep, wonderful, and transcendent meaning in it. Like the bread that was blessed, broken, and given; readers will see how God uses ordinary experiences to cultivate their mission and their brokenness to bring healing to the world.
“The table you choose reveals the king you serve.”
Glenn Packiam Webinar Recording
Performing the Plays of the Bible:
Seven Ancient Scripts and Our Journey to Return Them to the Stage
with Jeff Barker and Thomas Boogaart
Jeff Barker co-teaches the doctoral course, The Renewal of Sunday Worship: Music and the Arts at the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies. He recently retired from a successful teaching career in the theatre program at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. He is the author of several books including The Storytelling Church: Adventures in Reclaiming the Role of Story in Worship. See a list of his plays and other creative output here.
Dr. Thomas Boogaart served for over 30 years as Old Testament Professor at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. A scholar of ancient Hebrew and Aramaic, Tom provided a fresh translation of each of the passages that come to life in Performing the Plays of the Bible.
The book, Performing the Plays of the Bible, describes and demonstrates how seven of the stories of the Bible may be relived in your context. The 
narratives of the Scriptures have dramatic structure that suggests they were originally performed by the people of Israel. The authors take dramatic structure seriously and demonstrate how to move these ancient dramas from the page to the stage.
“The Bible contains history’s largest collection of ancient plays. These historical dramas were born in oral cultures: these plays were always intended to be heard, seen, and felt.”
Barker & Boogaart Webinar Recording
Worship Like Jesus: A Guide for Every Follower
with Constance Cherry
Constance Cherry is a faculty member of The Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies where she teaches in the Doctor of Worship Studies program. She is an experienced worship leader, musician, and pastor, serving in local church ministry for many years, and currently serving a local congregation as a part-time pastor. She is an Elder in the West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church. Constance is the author of five books used widely in the church and the academy and translated into multiple languages.
Worship Like Jesus guides Christ-followers through the essential features of Christian worship, transforming the reader’s understanding and experience of worship. This leads people—even entire congregations—to experience worship in exciting and profound ways as never before. This type of worship also leads people into deeper and more committed discipleship. Imagine a community of fully engaged, deeply committed disciples!
“Jesus goes before us as a worshiper to show us the way.”
Constance Cherry Webinar Recording